Jankobaa parents withdraw children from local school

Jankobaa, (Ash), June 15, GNA - Many parents in Jankobaa in the Atwima-Nwabiagya district of Ashanti, have withdrawn their wards from the local JSS to the nearby schools at Toase and Nkawie as a result of alleged persistent poor performance of the children in their Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).

At an educational forum organized by the Atwima-Nwabiagya district education directorate at Jankobaa near Toase on Tuesday, the parents were not happy about the performance of the teachers which they claimed, had affected the school's academic output over they years They, however, promised to send back the children to the local school once the teachers had put measures in place to reverse the trend.

The teachers on their part explained that, it had become a practice in the community for parents to withdraw and send their brilliant children to the private schools, adding that, the few, who could not afford the high cost of tuition rather, retain their children in the public schools.

According to the teachers, many of the parents refused to provide the basic needs of their children and that, some of them even came to call their children while in classes and send them to work in their ginger farms.

Mr Richard Owusu Agyeman, the district Community Participation Co-ordinator, called for a closer cooperation between the community and the teachers to improve and enhance teaching and learning in the school. He urged the parents to take advantage of the government's fee-free education programme and send their children to school. Madam Irene Comfort Badu, the district School Health Education Programme Co-ordinator, stressed the need for parents to ensure proper health needs of their children.

Mrs. Mercy Oti-Appiah, the Guidance and Counseling Co-ordinator, condemned the attitude of some parents who engaged their children in trading and farming activities while they were supposed to be in school. Mr Ohene Kwaku Apau, the district Training Officer asked parents to invest in their children's education instead of acquiring personal materials and spending lavishly on funerals. Nana Kofi Duku, the regent of the town who presided, promised to hold an urgent crisis meeting with all stakeholders to address problems undermining effective education delivery in the community.